Sensor Circuit Array, A Control Device For Operating A Sensor Circuit Array And A Sensor System

• US 20080204240A1
• Filed: 01/18/2006
• Published: 08/28/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/25/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: NXP B.V. (NXP Semiconductors NV)
• Original Assignee: NXP B.V. (NXP Semiconductors NV)
• Inventors: Hilgers, Achim, Pelzer, Heiko
• Application Number:
  US11/814,803
• Publication Number:
  US 20080204240A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/572.1
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 21/00 Measuring or testing not otherwise provided for

Abstract

A sensor circuit array (101) comprises a receiver antenna (103) designed to receive electromagnetic radiation, and comprises a sensor element (104) designed to sense at least one parameter in an environment of the sensor circuit array (101). The receiver antenna (103) is connected to the sensor element (104) in such a manner that, upon receiving an activation signal by the receiver antenna (103), the sensor element (104) is activated based on the activation signal so that the sensor element (104) is caused to sense the at least one parameter in the environment of the sensor circuit array (101).

Claims

1. A sensor circuit array,

comprising a receiver antenna designed to receive electromagnetic radiation;

comprising a sensor element designed to sense at least one parameter in an environment of the sensor circuit array;

wherein the receiver antenna is connected to the sensor element in such a manner that, when an activation signal is received by the receiver antenna, the sensor element is activated based on the activation signal so that the sensor element is caused to sense the at least one parameter in the environment of the sensor circuit array.

2. The sensor circuit array according to claim 1,

comprising an emitter antenna designed to emit electromagnetic radiation, wherein the emitter antenna is connected to the sensor element in such a manner that the emitter antenna emits a sensing signal generated by the sensor element in response to the sensing of the at least one parameter in the environment of the sensor circuit array.

3. The sensor circuit array according to claim 2,

wherein the receiver antenna of the sensor circuit array and the emitter antenna of the sensor circuit array are realized as a shared antenna.

4. The sensor circuit array according to claim 1,

of such design that a sensing signal generated by the sensor element in response to the sensing of the at least one parameter in the environment of the sensor circuit array can be derived from a modification of the characteristics of the receiver antenna.

5. The sensor circuit according to claim 1,

wherein the receiver antenna is designed to provide the sensor element with electrical energy originating from electromagnetic radiation received by the receiver antenna.

6. The sensor circuit array according to claim 5,

comprising a rectifier sub-circuit connected between the receiver antenna and the sensor element and being designed such that the rectifier sub-circuit rectifies an alternating electrical signal originating from electromagnetic radiation received by the receiver antenna to generate a rectified electrical signal fed to the sensor element.

7. The sensor circuit array according to claim 1,

comprising an energy supply unit, wherein the receiver antennas is designed to activate the sensor element by coupling the sensor element to the energy supply unit in such a manner that the sensor element is supplied with energy for sensing the at least one parameter by the energy supply unit.

8. The sensor circuit array according to claim 7,

wherein the energy supply unit selected from at least

a non-rechargeable battery;

or

a solar cell.

9. The sensor circuit array according to claim 7,

wherein the energy supply unit is selected from at least

a rechargeable battery;

or

a capacitor.

10. The sensor circuit array according to claim 9,

comprising a charging unit coupled to the energy supply unit to recharge the energy supply unit.

11. The sensor circuit array according to claim 2,

comprising an integrated circuit connected to the receiver antenna and/or to the emitter antenna.

12. The sensor circuit array according to claim 11,

wherein the integrated circuit and the receiver antenna and the emitter antenna are realized as a radio frequency identification tag.

13. The sensor circuit array according to claim 7,

wherein the radio frequency identification tag can be connected to the energy supply unit to be supplied with electrical energy.

14. The sensor circuit array according to claim 1,

comprising a substrate, wherein the receiver antenna and the sensor element are arranged on and/or in the substrate.

15. The sensor circuit array according to claim 1,

wherein the sensor element being designed to be deactivated in the absence of an activation signal of the receiver antenna.

16. The sensor circuit array according to claim 1,

wherein the sensor element is selected from at least

a temperature sensor;

a humidity sensor;

a pressure sensor;

a velocity sensor;

an acceleration sensor;

a position sensor;

a gas sensor;

a biosensor;

a chemical sensor;

a wind sensor;

a luminosity sensor;

a circulation sensor;

or

an electrical sensor.

17. The sensor circuit array according to claim 1,

comprising a storage means designed to store identification information allowing to identify the sensor circuit array, wherein the sensor circuit array is designed to determine whether a signal received by the receiver antenna is addressed to the sensor circuit array based on stored identification information.

18. The sensor circuit array according to claim 1,

wherein the emitter antenna is designed to emit electromagnetic radiation in a spatially directed manner.

27. A sensor system,

comprising a sensor circuit array according to any one of claims 1 to 18;

and

comprising a control device according to for operating the sensor circuit array.

28. The sensor system according to claim 27, wherein the sensor circuit array and the control device are configured for wireless communication with each other.

19. A control device for operating a sensor circuit array,

comprising an emitter antenna designed to emit electromagnetic radiation;

comprising a control unit which is connected to the emitter antenna and is designed to cause the emitter antenna to emit an activation signal that can be received by a receiver antenna of a sensor circuit array in such a manner that a sensor element connected to the receiver antenna is activated based on the reception of an activation signal by the receiver antenna so that the sensor element is caused to sense at least one parameter in an environment of the sensor circuit array.

20. The control device according to claim 19, comprising a receiver antenna designed to receive electromagnetic radiation, wherein the receiver antenna is designed to receive a sensing signal emitted by an emitter antenna of a sensor circuit array generated by the sensor element in response to the sensing of the at least one parameter in the environment of the sensor circuit array.

21. The control device according to claim 20, wherein the emitter antenna of the control device and the receiver antenna of the control device are realized as a shared antenna.

22. The control device according to claim 19, wherein the control unit is designed to control, an adjusting unit capable of adjusting the at least one parameter in the environment of the sensor circuit array based on a sensing signal received by the receiver antenna.

23. The control device according to claim 19, wherein the control unit is designed to display on a display device a sensing signal received by the receiver antenna.

24. The control device according to claim 19, wherein the emitter antenna is designed to emit electromagnetic radiation in a spatially directed manner.

25. The control device according to claim 19, comprising a user interface designed to allow a user to input at least one control command for controlling the control unit.

26. The control device according to claim 25, wherein the user interface is designed such that a user is enabled to control the control unit via the internet.